Liquid-tight movable connector

Abstract

It is aimed to provide a connector capable of ensuring predetermined sealability. A connector is provided with a housing connectable to a mating housing, a seal to be mounted into the housing, and a moving member movable with respect to the housing. The seal has a sealing surface to be held in close contact with the mating housing. The moving member is arranged at a position facing the sealing surface of the seal before connection of the both housings.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector, comprising:
 a housing having opposite front and rear ends and a receptacle extending rearward into the front end, the receptacle being configured to receive a mating housing inserted in a front to rear direction; 
 a seal mounted into the housing, the seal having an inwardly facing sealing surface to be held in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the mating housing; and 
 a moving member movable rearward with respect to the housing from a protection position before connection of the housing and the mating housing to a connection position after connection of the housing and the mating housing, wherein: 
 an outer peripheral surface of the moving member faces the sealing surface of the seal when the moving member is in the protection position and before connection of the housing and the mating housing, and 
 the sealing surface of the seal closely contacts the outer peripheral surface of the mating housing when the mating housing is inserted into the receptacle and the movable member is moved to the connection position. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein a tab is arranged to project into the receptacle, the seal is arranged along an inner periphery of the receptacle, and the moving member is a moving plate to be assembled into the receptacle and includes a protection wall for protecting a tip part of the tab at a protection position before the connection of the housings and a peripheral wall facing the sealing surface on an outer peripheral side of the protection wall. 
     
     
       3. The connector of  claim 2 , wherein the housing includes a restricting portion for restricting forward and rearward movements of the seal in a moving direction of the moving member. 
     
     
       4. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein a deformation amount of the seal held in close contact with the mating housing to be resiliently deformed is larger than that of the seal when the moving member contacts the sealing surface of the seal before the connection of the housings. 
     
     
       5. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a restricting portion for restricting forward and rearward movements of the seal in a moving direction of the moving member. 
     
     
       6. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein a deformation amount of the seal held in close contact with the mating housing to be resiliently deformed is larger than that of the seal when the moving member contacts the sealing surface of the seal before the connection of the housings. 
     
     
       7. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a seal accommodating portion formed at a rear part of the receptacle, the seal being mounted into the seal accommodating portion. 
     
     
       8. The connector of  claim 7  wherein the seal defines a continuous ring and has an outer peripheral surface engaged against an inner peripheral surface of the seal accommodating portion. 
     
     
       9. A connector assembly, comprising:
 a housing having opposite front and rear ends and a receptacle extending rearward into the front end of the housing; 
 a mating housing configured to be inserted into the receptacle in a front to rear direction; 
 a seal mounted into the housing, the seal having an inwardly facing sealing surface to be held in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the mating housing; and 
 a moving member movable rearward with respect to the housing from a protection position before connection of the housing and the mating housing to a connection position after connection of the housing and the mating housing, wherein: 
 an outer peripheral surface of the moving member faces the sealing surface of the seal when the moving member is in the protection position and before connection of the housing and the mating housing, and 
 the sealing surface of the seal closely contacts the outer peripheral surface of the mating housing when the mating housing is inserted into the receptacle and the movable member is moved to the connection position. 
 
     
     
       10. The connector assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a tab is arranged to project into the receptacle, the seal is arranged along an inner periphery of the receptacle, and the moving member is a moving plate to be assembled into the receptacle and includes a protection wall for protecting a tip part of the tab at a protection position before the connection of the housings and a peripheral wall facing the sealing surface on an outer peripheral side of the protection wall. 
     
     
       11. The connector of  claim 9 , wherein the housing includes a restricting portion for restricting forward and rearward movements of the seal in a moving direction of the moving member. 
     
     
       12. The connector assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a deformation amount of the seal held in close contact with the mating housing to be resiliently deformed is larger than that of the seal when the moving member contacts the sealing surface of the seal before the connection of the housings. 
     
     
       13. The connector assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the housing includes a restricting portion for restricting forward and rearward movements of the seal in a moving direction of the moving member. 
     
     
       14. The connector assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a deformation amount of the seal held in close contact with the mating housing to be resiliently deformed is larger than that of the seal when the moving member contacts the sealing surface of the seal before the connection of the housings. 
     
     
       15. The connector assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the housing includes a seal accommodating portion formed at a rear part of the receptacle, the seal being mounted into the seal accommodating portion. 
     
     
       16. The connector assembly of  claim 15  wherein the seal defines a continuous ring and has an outer peripheral surface engaged against an inner peripheral surface of the seal accommodating portion.